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Best Price Guarantee
Best Price Guarantee
Length
19 Days
Ship category
Luxury
Ship type
Large Ship
Capacity
245 Passengers
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Le Commandant Charcot is not just an expedition ship, she feels like a floating basecamp in the heart of the polar world. This extraordinary hybrid-electric vessel takes you farther than most ships can go, while still wrapping you in full comfort and elegance. Designed for true exploration, she brings you into the Arctic and Antarctic in a way that feels intimate, quiet, and deeply immersive, all from the warmth of beautifully designed spaces, panoramic lounges, and spacious suites that feel like your own private retreat at the edge of the world. … Read more about Le Commandant Charcot
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Bar
Mudroom
Expedition Parka
Pool
Zodiac Fleet
Observation Lounge
Spa
Doctor on board
Sauna
Library
Internet/Wifi
Restaurant
Life on board Le Commandant Charcot is also about pleasure, sharing, and unforgettable dining moments in the middle of the ice. The culinary experience is truly exceptional, led by French savoir-faire and elevated gastronomy.
The highlight is Le Nuna, the only Alain Ducasse restaurant at sea, offering an outstanding menu specially created by the Michelin-starred chef. Guests can enjoy some of his signature dishes in an intimate, refined setting, surrounded by the polar world outside. Every detail reflects elegance and French art de vivre, from Ligne Roset furniture, to Bernardaud porcelain, and Elne glassware, making each à la carte breakfast, lunch, and dinner feel truly special.
For a more relaxed atmosphere, Sila (The Sky) welcomes guests in a bright 320 m² space designed for comfort and conviviality. Here, breakfast, generous buffet lunches, and themed dinners are served in a warm and easygoing setting — perfect after a day of exploration in the Arctic or Antarctic.
Dining on board is not just about food, but about moments: sharing stories, watching drifting ice through panoramic windows, and enjoying world-class cuisine in one of the most remote places on Earth.
When booking online, you can choose the option to "Upgrade to single occupancy". This will guarantee you the whole cabin to yourself, for an additional fee. If you don't select this option, then another traveler of the same sex might be placed into the same cabin with you. Exceptions may apply.
18 nights aboard Le Commandant Charcot.
Expedition leadership, lectures and guiding.
All meals aboard the ship.
Scheduled Zodiac outings, shore landings, pack-ice activities and other expedition activities, subject to weather, ice and safety conditions.
Flight from Paris to Longyearbyen and transfers as specified by the operator.
Port fees and expedition-related taxes where specified by the operator.
Pre-departure information and use of expedition equipment as provided on board.
International or domestic flights not explicitly listed as included.
Travel insurance, including emergency medical evacuation cover.
Visa, passport and vaccination costs.
Transfers, accommodation and meals not explicitly listed as included.
Personal expenses, laundry, communications and crew gratuities.
Optional paid activities or equipment not stated as included.
The programme is governed by weather, sea state, ice and wildlife. Planned landings and sightings are possibilities, not guarantees.
Pack-ice navigation and landings can be cold, windy and physically demanding; the expedition team will advise what is safe each day.
Ittoqqortoormiit is a rare opportunity to encounter Greenlandic Inuit culture respectfully, subject to local access and conditions.
The voyage arrives in Reykjavík in the evening before disembarkation the following morning.
After completing your booking, you will receive an invoice from your travel specialist by email. A deposit of 30% of the trip price is required to secure your booking. Payment can be made through bank transfer or by credit card through a secure payment link.
Full payment is expected 30 days before your trip. Payment can be made in installments.
Long-haul flights and the on-the-ground program generate 5.7 t CO₂e on this trip. Polartours regularly measures and monitors the carbon footprint of its journeys and actively reduces emissions through sustainable travel design: no unnecessary flights, fewer feeder flights, integration of rail and public transport, and promoting longer stays for a more balanced relationship between travel distance and impact.
From 2018 to 2024, we supported carbon reduction projects equivalent to the emissions generated. Recognizing the limits of traditional offsetting, we now focus on active environmental protection through our own rainforest project, Forest Guardians.
More information on our climate and environmental responsibility: https://www.venturatravel.org/impact
All cruises in the polar regions operate to itineraries that are more-or-less fixed. We say "more or less", because wildlife (breeding, seasonality) and weather always play an important role in routing. Most cruises will offer a range of land-based and water-based activities that you will enjoy at various points in your cruise, including:
All boats carry English speaking, scientifically trained guides. They will lead you on your excursions, allowing you to learn as much as possible about the unique wildlife and habitats of the Polar Regions.
Choosing the right ship for a cruise to Antarctica or the Arctic seems difficult, but it doesn't have to be. Our fleet is over 30 vessels, we are sure that there is the perfect one for you. Please, follow these simple steps, and you will be able to find your ideal ship:
In addition: We work with responsible partners who provide a great experience for their passengers. All of our providers are committed to sustainability and to preserving the beauty of the polar regions. You don’t need to worry about the impact of your cruise, because we’ve already taken care of it.
We love to help people find their dream vacation to the Arctic and Antarctic. Whether you give us a call, contact us via email, or use our website inquiry form, one of our Polar travel experts will be more than happy to answer any questions, recommend ships and itineraries, and walk you through the whole process!
Step 1: Find your perfect trip. If you have already started looking for Polar Cruises, you will have quickly noticed that the sheer amount of options can be quite overwhelming. To help you navigate the countless departures and itineraries that our fleet offers, we have put together a great filter page for Antarctic and Arctic Expedition Cruises. Use this page to filter all trips by price, date, ship category, and even destinations you wish to visit. We update all dates, prices, and availabilities daily, and are proud to host what is doubtlessly the world's most complete collection of information.
Step 2: Found something you love? We'll hold your spaces, free of charge! If you find a cruise you like, you can either inquire directly with us or make an unbinding booking online. We will then reach out to the shipowners to put a hold on your spaces for a limited time, free of charge. Once we have confirmed your block with the ship, we will send you a written confirmation of your reservation and include full payment details in an invoice. Typically, we are able to hold unpaid reservations for up to 1 week*. This gives us time to clarify all your remaining questions, and also ensures that no other passengers can book your spaces, while we continue our conversation.
Step 3: Confirm your booking. In order to confirm your booking, we ask for a deposit payment. You can pay via bank transfer or credit card. Keep in mind, that we can only hold your spaces for a limited amount of time. If we don't receive your payment after this time, we can no longer guarantee that the places will be available or that the price won't increase. To prevent disappointment, we will automatically cancel your reservation if we don't receive your deposit by the due date stated on your booking reservation.
Step 4: Booking confirmation & Payment. As soon as we have received your deposit and a completed passenger information form, we will be pleased to send your booking confirmation and updated invoice, along with your trip itinerary, important information, and other great tips for your cruise.
Step 5: Final payment. In your initial invoice, we will define a final payment date by when you need to pay us the remaining amount of your trip. Once we have received your final payment we'll send you your cruise documents and voucher. As your trip approaches, we make sure to pass along all necessary information, so you feel super prepared and stress-free.
*For last-minute bookings, we might not be able to hold your spaces for so long. We will also require the full payment of your cruise upon booking.
An expedition cruise to Antarctica or the Arctic is a big deal! Most people plan for this type of trip at least 8 months in advance. This means the earlier you book, the better chance you'll have to reserve your prefered cabins. Early bird discounts are also popular and a great way to get 10-30% off your cruise.
Most expedition cruises offer optional activities like camping and kayaking, but the spaces are limited. A cruise with 120 passengers can have only 10-15 spaces for kayaking. These are reserved on a first come first served basis. The earlier you book, the higher your chance of grabbing a spot.
Even though last minute deals do occur, keep in mind that the airline prices will be much higher if you purchase them last minute. You may save a few hundred on your cruise, but you may end up paying the most for airfare.
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Navigate through pack ice towards the Geographic North Pole.
Explore Peary Land, Station Nord and the isolated shores of northern Greenland.
Experience the fjords, glaciers and wildlife of North-East Greenland National Park.
Visit the Ittoqqortoormiit region and sail into Scoresby Sound when conditions allow.
Best Price Guarantee: Find a better price elsewhere, and we’ll match it.
Polar Expedition Specialists: We focus exclusively on polar voyages, with advice rooted in real, firsthand expertise.
Travel that gives back: Every booking directly funds our mission to protect and restore global rainforests.
This 19-day expedition aboard Le Commandant Charcot sets out from Longyearbyen for one of the rarest journeys in polar travel: a deliberate advance through the pack ice towards the Geographic North Pole, followed by an exploration of northern and north-eastern Greenland before reaching Reykjavík.
The route moves from open sea into shifting ice, past Peary Land and the remote Station Nord, then along the fjords and glaciers of North-East Greenland National Park. A call in the Ittoqqortoormiit region offers a glimpse of Greenlandic Inuit traditions, while Scoresby Sound brings the voyage into one of the world's great fjord systems.
This is an expedition in the truest sense. Ice, weather, wildlife and safety determine the final sequence, and planned outings cannot be guaranteed. The reward is access to a world few travellers can reach, with Zodiac outings, possible pack-ice landings, kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing, and the possibility of polar wildlife and Northern Lights.
Keep in mind this is an expedition cruise, so your itinerary will depend greatly on the weather, amount of ice and wildlife breeding behavior.
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Embark in Longyearbyen, the working Arctic settlement at the heart of Svalbard. Once aboard Le Commandant Charcot, meet the expedition team, settle into your suite and listen to the first safety briefing. The ship leaves Svalbard behind as the expedition begins its long advance into the polar world.
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The character of the sea changes as the ship approaches the pack ice. Pressure ridges, leads of open water and drifting floes create a moving landscape rather than a fixed destination. The expedition team watches the ice closely while guests learn how polar navigation works.
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Continue through the sea ice, where the route is chosen day by day according to the safest and most promising passages. From the decks, the changing texture of the floe may reveal seals, seabirds or other wildlife that depends on the ice edge.
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The ship remains in the ice environment, allowing time to appreciate its scale and silence. If conditions permit, the expedition team may organise observation or an activity on the ice, always subject to safety, conservation rules and the judgement of the Captain and Expedition Leader.
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Remain in the North Pole area as conditions allow. The pack ice, the light and the absence of land make this a place to experience rather than simply tick off a map. The expedition team continues to adapt the programme to the ice.
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The voyage turns south through the pack ice. The return route is not a simple reversal: every lead, ridge and pressure zone changes the possibilities for navigation and observation. Lectures and time on deck bring the polar environment into focus.
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Continue through the shifting ice towards Greenland. Open channels may appear between frozen sections, while other areas form a more chaotic field of pressure ridges. The Captain and Expedition Leader choose the route with safety and preservation of the fast ice in mind.
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Peary Land, named after the American polar explorer Robert Peary, has a surprisingly dry, open character for northern Greenland. Low mountains and broad valleys create a stark polar desert where musk oxen may be seen if the conditions and wildlife allow.
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Sail along the remote northern Greenland coast, where some of the world's oldest and thickest ice meets drifting floes and blue icebergs. The view is constantly changing as the ship follows navigable water between frozen surfaces.
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Station Nord is a remote Danish military and scientific outpost in the far north of Greenland. A visit or close approach depends on permissions and conditions, but the setting conveys the isolation of a base dedicated to monitoring the Arctic environment.
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Continue along Greenland's ice-bound coast. The day may bring a different view of the same great elements: drifting ice, blue bergs, dark mountains and channels of open water. The itinerary remains flexible to protect the ice and respond to local conditions.
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Approach the fjords and alpine landscapes of North-East Greenland National Park, the world's largest national park and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Zodiac outings or shore activities may be possible where conditions and conservation rules permit.
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Explore one of the most isolated coastlines on Earth, where immense fjords, mountains and pristine shorelines create habitat for Arctic wildlife. The expedition team looks for safe opportunities to go ashore or cruise by Zodiac, but the final plan follows the ice and weather.
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In the Ittoqqortoormiit region, snow-covered mountains frame one of the most remote inhabited areas on Greenland's east coast. If access allows, meet local people and learn about Inuit traditions and the hunting culture that has long been shaped by sea ice, dogs and the seasonal movements of Arctic wildlife.
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Sail into Scoresby Sound, one of the world's largest and deepest fjord systems. Icebergs float beneath high, snow-capped peaks and the scale of the landscape makes the history of Arctic exploration feel close. The ship's observation spaces are ideal for watching the fjord unfold.
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The final day at sea is a chance to reflect on the North Pole, Greenland's remote coast and the many decisions that made the expedition possible. The ship approaches Reykjavík in the evening, with disembarkation scheduled for the following morning.
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Disembark in Reykjavík after breakfast. Iceland's capital makes an easy extension to the expedition, whether you continue into the city's museums and cafés or add time for the surrounding geothermal landscapes before travelling home.